Fragging a Devil's Hand leather coral. results

I'm fairly new to fragging other than my frags that break and then I glue them somewhere else...

I want to pay it forward with a healthy chunk of my devil's hand that Mr Todd sails gave me when I just started the reef adventure. My girlfriend (Jamie) has a friend with a SW tank that she wants me to share a chunk, no problem with me. Mine has grown since I've gotten it, it could use a trim.

I don't plan on making a bunch of tiny frags, I just want to slice off a chunk and get it attached to a rock and give it to her. I'm planning on delivering Thanksgiving weekend as that's when Jamie will see her friend. Is this enough time for the piece to cut off to recover?

I have done some initial research, but not a ton. Leathers release toxins when cut. So I would assume it's better to remove from the tank to slice? The problem there, is the leather is attached to a very bottom rock and I'd be tearing down half of my scape to get to the rock with the leather on it. I assume it's not a good idea to just rip it's base from the rock?

Then it just seems like it needs to be rubber banded to a piece of rock and it will attach?

I was thinking on taking off about 1/3 of the piece, shown by the awesome red circle. I don't want to cut into the "stalk or base" of the coral, but just to remove a chunk from the side.


Is there anything I'm missing or anything I'm about to do that's wrong? Dipping, I know I didn't cover any dipping, what should I do there?

I plan on putting the cut frag in the fug section of my sump where there is lower flow for the piece to heal and attach to the rock. Sound good?

Thank you in advance!!

 

Recovery time on leathers varies more than most corals I've seen. Some may attach within a week while others can sit for months before finally deciding to attach to a new piece of rock. In either case, it should be healed enough to move between systems by Thanksgiving.

You are correct in thinking that you will be better off cutting it outside of the system, however, it can also be done safely within the tank. Be sure to limit the time that the newly cut frag is in the system by moving it to some water taken from the tank immediately to work on it further and rinse any flesh away. It's also a good idea to make sure you have plenty of carbon running in your filtration to help clean out any chemicals shed by the coral during cutting.

Rubber bands will usually do the job, but if you have trouble with that method, a needle and thread can be used to sew the frag onto a new rock.

Sounds like you've got it covered. Leathers really are some of the most forgiving and adaptable of corals to frag. Just be sure to watch the frag closely to be sure it doesn't fall off of its new mount and float away.

Dipping can be useful for reassurance that there are no pests on the coral, but with leathers, there's not much you can dip with to enhance recovery.

I would try to keep it in the main tank to reduce any shock due to changing conditions. That said, a lower flow area will be best to keep the frag from being lost.

 

Thanks Mike!

I'm hoping to get to it this week/weekend. I'll post up the results when I do.

 

well, I believe you got all of your answers zesty! Good luck!

 

Thank you! But now I have to touch the thing.... I have no problem holding snakes or whatnot, but this guy.... yeah, call me a wuss.

 

Fragged the guy tonight. Siphoned up the substrate underneath the rock. Re-did some of the rock work. Then did a 10 gallon water change.

 

two days later, the mother colony is showing PE.
updated picture from last night

 

Mat, sorry I never saw this post.

I think I reached in and cut a big chunk off for you while you were here, right?

It does take a while for the PE to come back- many days usually?

NOw that your mother is showing some, should be fine.

I'm glad it's growing for you and now you're fraggin it!

That softy coral started for me from a piece about 1 cm x 1cm big! A local reefer gave it to me.

Keep on
Reefin!

 

well zesty.....I think you got it!! that coral has a beautiful coloration to it even without the polyp extension. Nice job!

 

yes sir, you reach in grabbed it, cut it and sent it on it's way with me. It's grown and looks awesome. I'm always interested in the many different ways of doing things. Plus since this was going to sit a week and a half before I take it, I figured I'd try and attach it to a rock.

Thanks again! I'm calling this the "Pay it forward frag program" haha!

You've been super generous with frags and chaeto, I want to make sure that we can keep some of this positivity going!